For Florida residents. Which would you choose? (Naples, Cleveland: HOA fees, houses)

[ChrisA70]

I choose the house up north by far. The houses up there have character, not cookie cutter houses like Florida has mostly.

[BroQuest]

i'd go with the fla home. ny and especially LI just doesnt appeal to me at all. and living in fla, you'll get a taste of LI anyways.

[ChrisA70]

I would not get one in LI either, not a city guy. I'm moving to western MA next week. The houses up there are very different than here. A lot of them are from the 1800's and up. I was in a house in Western MA last winter that was built in 1847. But it was moderized.

I have seen homes here that resemble the houses in New England too. The coolest houses I have ever seen are in Celebration, FL. My moms friend had a house like the old farmhouses looked up north.

Originally Posted by BroQuest

i'd go with the fla home. ny and especially LI just doesnt appeal to me at all. and living in fla, you'll get a taste of LI anyways.

[coastalrap]

Florida for me too. I would not want to live up north, especially LI. But, thank goodness, everyone has different preferences. There is no right or wrong answer to this question, you need to decide for yourself. Personally I would rather put up with a 3 or 4 months of hot than 6 or 7 months of cold and damp. I know lots of people who do not like living in hot weather or don’t like the ocean. For them, they may want to consider living somewhere else.

Also, people think all of Florida is the same however, living on or near the coast is certainly not the same as central.

[tagylyn]

I would choose the house in option 1 but would want it located in option 2.
Just moved from 2100 sqft old tudor house in Baltimore to 1000 sqft in SW Florida.
Love it! I'll never live north again, 38 yrs was long enough.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Well, I'm between the New York City area and Florida at the moment--grew up in Florida, working on moving back there full time while my parents (who are still in Florida) are still around, but I'll answer anyway.

I'm assuming that the scenario is something like being given either home 1 or home 2, or at least having them cost about the same amount, where we're making the same amount in each location, etc.

Given that, definitely #2. I like both New York and Florida, but why the heck would I want a smaller house without the amenities that's in need of work over a big house with lots of plusses, etc.? You'd have to really dislike Florida (and really like New York) to go with #1.

. . . actually, Long Island (aside from Queens and Brooklyn) is one of the last places in New York I'd want a house (I don't hate it, but I like everywhere else I've been in the state better), but I didn't let that sway my decision. We could just say the house was in New York City, or Rockland County, or in the Adirondack region--all of which I like quite a bit--instead, and I'd still go with #2.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by TANaples

This was posted on the Long Island board also. You don't need a fireplace in SW Florida. Even the New Yorkers who posted said that. But then watching some of the natives here walking around wearing parkas, scarves, and GLOVES (?????) when it is in the 40s, maybe THEY need a fireplace.

Holy cow, the 40s? My mom wouldn't even go outside if it was that cold. She'd have all of that on and then some if she had to go out. She usually starts getting cold by the time it hits the low 70s. And it's not just that she's used to Florida that much now. She was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio--lived there until she was in her 30s, and couldn't stand the cold there, either . . . although I do think her tolerance has gotten worse. I finally got them to visit me in colder weather last year--they came up for Thanksgiving. We took a weekend trip to Philadelphia, which my folks had never seen, it got into the upper 20s/lower 30s, and I thought my mom was going to die trying to walk around in that. She's happy with Florida in the summer, but I think she'd like someplace with even warmer weather in the other months.

[TriMT7]

House on a canal with ocean access for sure! One of the best things to do in Florida is to go boating. I have many fond memories of boating on the Treasure Coast. Put in at Rivergate Park in Port St. Lucie, and if you go North, you'll travel along the St. Lucie River where the trees canopy over the water, and abundant wildlife can be seen. Travel South, and you'll hit the intracoastal, where the brackish water gives way to salt, and million dollar estates pass you by (along with Club Med). You'll eventually come to Sandsprit Park in Stuart, where you can get a hotdog at the floating hot dog stand, and head out into the ocean if you'd like.....


I'm not sure if it's the same in Naples, but seriously, nothing says FLorida lifestyle more than a Sunday on jetskis, sunning on the boat, or tubing/water skiing behind it.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by On-da-Beach

the first thing she did was use her camera-phone to capture the temp on the car thermometer...84* and send it to her co-workers up north. "Oh, you suck" was the most popular response.

When it's in the upper 80s and sunny here, the New York City weathermen always talk about what a beaufitul day it's going to be. I notice it because I don't happen to agree with them, lol. While I can tolerate heat (and cold) just fine, "beautiful days" to me are in the 60s.

Unfortunately, the New York City area has just about as few days in the 60s as Florida does. But there are many other reasons to live someplace than the temperature, and I can cope just fine with anything from the low 100s to the 0s.

[Tungsten_Udder]

Originally Posted by TANaples

His Air Force buddy from Buffalo, yes BUFFALO, said no too for the same reasons as the other man. They both like it just fine where they are.

And on the other hand, one of my best friends in West Palm Beach is from Buffalo--he was born there and lived there until he was in his late 20s, and he hates going back there. I don't think he'd ever leave Florida unless he had to for some other reason, like a sick family member, etc. There are people who like all different kinds of things all over.